Letter: Organized labor plays part in VA problems

Sunday

May 25, 2014 at 12:01 AM

Organized labor plays part

Organized labor plays part

in Veterans Administration debacle

Across our great country we are preparing to observe Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer. Many politicians, statesmen and other dignitaries will address many scheduled ceremonies to honor those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we as a society can enjoy the freedoms set in our Constitution by that great body of individuals who founded this great country. No other nation on Earth enjoy our freedoms and way of life.

While the words of the speakers have great meaning and honor those who have served and are serving, when they are measured against the backdrop of the current Veterans Administration debacle, one wonders. I do not for a minute think they are insincere. On the contrary, I believe if these speakers could make a difference, they certainly would. However, actions speak louder than words. The VA is a broken system and has been for a long time. It is controlled by a union that does not allow any individual to be held accountable for his or her actions, or lack thereof. There are many great people working in the VA who cannot buck the system. It is a culture that operates on a 3-D process: Deny, delay and discourage. As time goes on and our veteran population dwindles and fewer choose to serve, it will get worse. We as a nation have become disconnected with our military. Less than 1 percent of our population serves, which may not be in our best interest in the long run.

And in another example of a union influence, the Massachusetts National Cemetery at Otis Air Force Base in Bourne, although it is authorized by the VA for any honorably discharged veteran to be buried there, headstones are not allowed. The policy does not allow any above-ground headstones as found in other national cemeteries, such as Arlington National Cemetery in our nation's capital. Only bronze plaques are allowed at ground level. It is a policy for the benefit of employees who maintain the grounds and dismisses the desire of the veteran.

Replacing Gen. Shinseki is not the answer. He is committed to his mission of fixing the broken system. The problem lies with the unions holding people accountable.